Ten Seconds to Midnight
by sparklylulz
Summary: “Ten... ” “Berry?” Noah asked. “Nine... ” “My name is Rachel, Noah.” Rachel stated. "Eight..." "Fine, Rachel?" The final pair: Rachel and Puck
1. and help is on the way

**A/N: This mini story will be comprised of three chapters.**

**It is a New Years story based on "Tidal Wave," "Rainbow Veins," and "Sunburn" by Owl City.**

**Each will take place in a different chapter.**

**They are all in the same timeline.**

**The three couples will be, **

"**Quinn & Artie"**

"**Finn & Kurt"**

"**Rachel & Puck"**

**And will take place in that order :]**

**Enjoy! And Happy New Year!**

–

_I forget the last time I felt brave, I just recall insecurity_

_Cause it came down like a tidal wave, and sorrow swept over me_

_Then I was given grace and love, I was blind but now I can see_

_Cause I found a new hope from above, and courage swept over me_

_It hurts just to wake up, whenever you're wearing thin_

_Alone on the outside, so tired of looking in_

_The end is uncertain and I've never been so afraid_

_But I don't need a telescope to see that there's hope_

_And that makes me feel brave _

It was a miserable night, rain was completely covering the streets, and there was a depressing fog laying gently on top of the sleeping town of Lima, Ohio. Typically, this weather wouldn't strike a chord with anyone in the small town, except it was New Years Eve, and it seemed that the rain had dampened everyone's spirits.

Including one Artie Abrams.

This year was his sophomore year in high school, and for the wheel chair bound teen that was more of a curse than a blessing. He had finally found a place to fit in, even if he wasn't the coolest, or best looking guy in the club. He had friends, or he thought he did. He had begun to re-evaluate every friendship he had after his best friend, Tina-Cohen Chang, admitted to lying to him for the past three years. He came to the conclusion that every one in the club had something to hide.

It was the first New Years party hosted jointly by Kurt Hummel, and Mercedes Jones. Mercedes was left at home alone while her parents travelled to Las Vegas to ring in 2010. Naturally, when Kurt had got wind of this he insisted that they throw a party for glee. It wouldn't be very big, just the glee members and their dates, which mostly were already in glee. Even the football players and Cheerios would be attending, as they really did love their glee friends more than anyone else.

Artie would be attending, dateless as always. A wheelchair wasn't exactly a chick magnet, afterall, and he had gotten so use to being alone anyway. He asked Kurt to pick him up, so that he wouldn't be burdening his parents, and keeping them from having fun. They were due to go see his very pregnant sister in Toledo, and they wouldn't be home until the following morning.

Sure enough, Kurt showed up in his SUV, wearing a bright blue shirt, which he stated brought out the color of his eyes. Artie just nodded, pretending to care about fashion. It was a quiet ride to the Jones' home. When they finally arrived, Kurt helped Artie out with a smile, and pushed him up to the front door.

Across town, a blond headed, former cheerleader named Quinn Fabray was wrestling with the idea of going to Mercedes' party. It would be the first time she, Puck, and Finn would be together outside of school since the baby drama went down.

She lightly rubbed her swollen belly, and permitted herself to cry exactly five tears, before she straightened up and looked at herself in Ms. Pillsbury's spotless mirror. She looked at herself, sick of being scared to hold her head up in front everyone. Having a baby wasn't the end of the world, and in a few months she'd be back to just being Quinn, not 'the pregnant girl,' and that thought is all that kept her going most days.

She slipped on her favorite yellow baby doll dress, and sucked in a huge breath, trying to swallow all of her fears and push them to the back of her mind. Her keys were easy to locate, always on the hook right next her guidance counselor's door. She sighed as she grabbed them, and pushed her way out into the chilly rain, covering her blond head with her hands.

She almost fell on her way to the car, as her pink rain boots were fairly slick. She climbed into the warmth of her small car, and breathed in the familiar cinnamon smell. During the first two months of her pregnancy, that smell had caused copious amounts of vomiting, but now she was able to bear it. The engine sparked to life, and she carefully backed out the concrete drive, and looked down at the scribbled directions on her pink sticky notes.

She hummed along to a familiar tune as she drove across town, wondering what would happen tonight. She decided she was grateful that the decade was over, and all the crap that occurred would be left with it. She pulled into the already crowded drive, and spotted Finn's car, as well as Kurt's, and Puck's truck. She sucked a deep breath in, trying not to panic. She looked quickly into the mirror, and fixed her hair, and stepped out.

She ignored the squeaking of her boots as she approached the front door. She knocked, and the door opened to reveal her wheelchair bound friend. She offered him a small smile, and he rolled out of the path, welcoming her in the doors.

Kurt was drinking already, as usual, and she couldn't see Finn anywhere.

"He's out back, grilling with Tina." A soft voice to her right spoke. She looked down to Artie, who was looking knowingly at her.

"Oh, it doesn't really matter, does it?" She said sadly, shaking her head. No more tears, Artie didn't deserve that.

"No, I suppose it doesn't." He responded calmly, placing a hand on her arm, as a sign of warmth, and she appreciated it.

Two hours and forty five minutes later Quinn found herself sitting on Mercedes' couch, watching the party goers mingle. Finn wouldn't look at her, and Puck seemed to be busy somewhere else. They were all mainly avoiding each other. It was better than fighting, on all fronts. She'd seen Finn leave with a very tipsy Kurt, and sighed again.

Artie was sitting in the doorway to kitchen, staring at the beautiful girl frowning to herself on the couch. He felt something for Quinn, although he couldn't really place that emotion. She was looking off towards the front door, looking torn from leaving or remaining seated. She was humming some Sinatra song to herself, and smiled to himself.

"Ten minutes to midnight!" He heard Tina yell through the house, the presence of alcohol quite obvious among her person.

He sighed and rolled himself over to the only other person who wasn't having a good time at the party, determined to make her feel better.

"Hey." He said simply, and her head snapped towards him.

"Hey, Artie." She said softly, smiling slightly.

He noticed her hand placed on her midriff, rubbing gently.

"Not drinking?" She asked, looking around at all their other non-sober friends.

"Nah, it interferes with the meds I have to take for my.." and he motioned towards his limp legs. She nodded, but not in a pitying way like most others. She just understood.

"Yeah, it's not good for babies either. Or so I hear." She smiled, looking over at the boy sitting next to her.

"Yeah. Sucks about all the drama with Finn. I heard you're staying with Ms. P." He said, and for some reason when he said Finn's name it didn't cause her to flinch. He numbed her pain anytime he was around.

"Oh, well it was my fault. But, it'll be a New Year, and I hope to let go all of it all." She said, looking at the bright ball that illuminated the TV screen as it descended.

"Five minutes!" Someone else called.

"I don't really put much store in New Years. It just reminds me that it's another year I will be stuck in this chair." He said matter of factly, trying to not look depressed.

"I dunno. You're still Artie, whether you can walk or not. I wouldn't change you for the world." She said, placing a hand on his, loving the warmth he emitted.

"Thanks, Quinn. Same with you. Pregnant or not." He smiled over to her, squeezing her hand and trying to quash the butterflies that had gathered in his stomach.

"That means a lot to me, Artie." She spoke softly, not moving her hand from his.

"_Ten..."_

"Quinn?" He asked.

"_Nine..."_

"Hmm, Artie?" She responded.

"_Eight..."_

"You're very beautiful." He said quickly.

"_Seven..."_

"Thanks." She blushed, rubbing her stomach self consciously.

"_Six..."_

"I don't care if you're pregnant." He said firmly.

"Five..."

"Really?"

"_Four..."_

"Yep."

"_Three..."_

"Quinn?" He said gently, trying to gain confidence.

"_Two..."_

"Yeah, Artie?" She asked nervously.

"_One..."_

Without warning, he leaned over and placed his lips on hers, and he felt her smile into his lips. He grinned too, and when she pulled away she rested her head on his shoulder.

"Happy New Year, Quinn." He said, heart swelling with hope.

"Very much so, Artie." She said, feeling infinitely more brave.


	2. bright eyes & subtle variations of blue

**A/N: And now we progress to Finn and Kurt.**

**I hope I do this well, it's the first time writing this pair.**

**I know it's already New Years, but just go with it ;]**

–

_Small town hearts of the New Year_

_Brought down by gravity, crystal clear_

_City fog and brave dialogue converge on the frontier_

_Make haste, I feel your heartbeat_

_With new taste for speed, out on the street_

_Find a road to a humble abode where both of our routes meet_

_The silver sound is all around and the colors fall like snow_

_The feeling of letting go, I guess we'll never know_

_Cheer up and dry your damp eyes and tell me when it rains_

_And I'll blend up that rainbow above you and shoot it through your veins_

Kurt Hummel was excited, despite the doom and gloom that was settling on the cow town he lived in. He had always loved New Years ever since he was a little boy and his mom would let him stay up until midnight with her, and let him wear her feather boa around the house. Sometimes Kurt still put the boa on right before midnight, and danced around, pretending she was still there to dance with at all.

Since she had died, his father, Burt, wasn't really into carrying on the tradition, and generally fell asleep around ten o'clock in front of some fishing program or another. Kurt loved his father dearly, and he didn't even hope that he would take over his late wife's tradition of hot chocolate and feathered boas.

This year his best friend, and the closest thing he'd ever had to a sister, Mercedes Jones, had agreed to throw a party for him. Well, perhaps he had bribed her by promising she could borrow her SUV next week to impress her older cousins, but he digresses. It was the most exciting New Years he could remember since his mother had passed away.

He spent several days just contemplating what he was going to wear to the party. However hopeless it may seem, he was still hoping to catch Finn's attention. After he had taken himself on a shopping spree thanks to his brand new credit card, he decided on blue.

Finn was always wearing blue, and Quinn had worn a lot of blue when she wasn't wearing that hideous cheerleading outfit. Obviously, Finn must have some fixation on the color blue. Kurt had found the most beautiful blue cardigan he had ever seen. Just the shade of his eyes, naturally. He quickly pulled it on, and spent an hour fixing his hair, and making sure there wasn't a single blemish on his face.

He had to swing by Artie's, and then it would be time to party. He pulled up to the Abrams two story, brick home, and rushed to help his disadvantaged friend into the passenger seat. It wasn't very easy considering that he wasn't very strong. He didn't really think the whole 'big-and-beefy' look really suited him, afterall.

He really liked Artie. He was a very honest guy, and after that little snag with Tina, Kurt was sure that Artie needed some cheering up. They all needed some cheering up after all the drama that had gone down. It was enough to give him heart issues, or break outs from stress. Not that he'd ever allow either to happen.

When they arrived at Mercedes he hoped out of his seat gracefully, cursing the rain. He hurriedly helped Artie fall awkwardly into his chair. They quickly entered the large house to find Tina standing out on the covered patio grilling. Kurt briefly wondered where Finn was.

Finn was standing the doorway of his house, really trying to make a decision. He could go to Mercedes, and see Quinn and Puck, or spend New Years Eve all alone and feeling sorry for himself.

"Finn?" He jumped a little and turned to where his mother stood behind him holding a basket of laundry.

"Yeah, mom?" He asked, trying not to smell the Quinn smell drifting from his bedroom.

"Why are you staring a hole through the door?" She asked gently, placing a small hand on his rather broad shoulder.

"I don't know if I want to go out tonight. I'll have to see..." He trailed off, not thinking he could form either's name with his lips.

His mom looked at him with sympathy, and hugged him softly.

"Just do something without worrying about them. It's not worth it Finn." She whispered in his ear and turned back towards the basement.

He quickly grabbed his keys and rushed out the door. His car still smelled like Quinn, and that kind of made him want to hit something. He briefly wondered if Puck would be there, because then he would really want to hit something.

It was a short drive to Mercedes, she only lived five blocks down. Her drive only had Kurt's shiny, black SUV sitting in it. Breathing a sigh of relief, Finn pulled himself out of his car and walked to the front door.

Before he could ring the bell Mercedes had opened it.

"Hey, white boy. Think you could help Tina on the grill? Before she sets my damn house on fire." She asked, practically dragging him into the front room. He nodded his head, and said 'hey' to Artie before rushing outside.

Kurt could see Finn and Tina laughing outside, as they grilled burgers, and felt jealousy licking at his insides. He quickly grabbed the closest alcoholic beverage he could find and took a gulp out of the cup. He decided to roam the house instead, and that's when a sloping wet Rachel Berry came in the door with a very dry Noah Puckerman. Instead of questioning it, he just made his way upstairs passing Brittany on the stairs.

For the next few hours he hid out in Mercedes' bedroom, drinking slowly, feeling really stupid for ever think Finn Hudson would be interested in a gay boy like him. Looking around Mercedes' room, Kurt spotted a purple feathered boa, and quickly wrapped it around his neck, hoping it would bring comfort. He wasn't even that drunk. He quickly walked back down the steps to get another drink. He smiled at Quinn once more, and turned to leave the kitchen.

"Hey, Kurt, where're you going?" It was that stupid, beautiful voice. He turned to see Finn looking curiously at him. He was pointedly ignoring Quinn.

"Oh, up the stairs, my dear Finn. You can come if you like. Get away from the hub bub of the party?" He asked, trying not to let himself hope, and failing miserably in the attempt. Finn contemplated for half a minute before glancing at Quinn.

"Sure, man, sounds great." And that goofy smile that Kurt loved so much appeared on his face.

On the way up the stairs Kurt was smiling like Rachel did after she thought she had wowed everyone in the room.

"Nice boa, by the way." Finn smiled, as he sat on the purple plush chair in Mercedes' room. Kurt smiled.

"It's kind of a family tradition. When my mom was alive, anyway." Kurt said gently, and dusted Finn's nose with the tip of he boa.

"So, I thought you'd be chasing Rachel down by now." Kurt was trying to said casual, and thankfully, Finn wasn't the brightest and didn't catch on.

"Oh. Well, Rachel's nice and all, but I'm pretty sure I saw her in the bathroom with Puck. She's a good kisser, I guess." He shrugged, looking around the purple room.

Kurt smiled wistfully at the idea of kissing Finn, and slightly disgusted that he had kissed Rachel of all people.

"Ten minutes to midnight!" They could hear a very drunken Tina exclaim from downstairs. It was a miracle she wasn't pole dancing yet, Kurt thought to himself

"That's my New Years resolution." Kurt said, looking off out Mercedes' window.

"What?" Poor, poor Finn.

"To be kissed." He said, enunciating each syllable slightly.

Finn looked at him as if he has suddenly caught fire, or something of the likeness.

"You've never been kissed?" Finn asked incredulously, as if this were the most blasphemous thing in the entire world.

"No. Given my sexual preference, I don't have many guys lining up with their lips puckered." He said slightly cynical.

"Five minutes to midnight!" It was Mike's voice that echoed through the house this time. Wafting up from the floor boards.

"No, I guess not. But that still sucks." Finn said somewhat pityingly, looking at the small boy in front of him.

He noticed the blue sweater and smiled to himself.

"Yeah. That's what I get for being gay in a cow town like this." Kurt sighed, looking out the window, thinking of the day he'd get out of there, and grimaced.

They sat in silence for several minutes, neither having much to say to the other. Kurt was lost in fantasies of what would be, while Finn was stuck in memories of what could have been.

"_Ten..._"

"Kurt?" Finn asked hesitantly.

"_Nine..._"

"Yes, Finn?" Kurt responded, glumly.

"Eight..."

"I really like your sweater." Finn chickened out.

"Seven..."

"Thanks, it reminded me of you." Kurt stated honestly.

"Six..."

"Yeah, I like blue." Finn smiled.

"Five..."

"I know." Kurt smiled back.

"Four..."

"Kurt?" He asked more confidently.

"Three..."

"Yes?" He answered a bit more cheerfully.

"Two..."

"I'm going to make your resolution come true." He said softly.

"One..."

As the New Year began Finn's lips were on Kurt's, and both boys were greedily devouring the others lips. Finn pulled back first and gave Kurt a crooked smile.

"I _really, really _like that sweater." He grinned.

"Happy New Year, Finn." To answer Kurt, Finn kissed Kurt lightly once more, and the happiness in the room was almost tangible.


	3. somewhere inside my mind

**A/n: and we have our final pair of Rachel and Puck.**

**I hope you have all enjoyed the story :]**

**I've really enjoyed writing it.**

**Naturally, I saved the best for last.**

**Enjoy.**

**Have a very Happy New Year, also :)**

–

_She took my hand in hers and whispered her love for me_

_The lantern died that night but we didn't need to see_

_Implying that she's the bee's knees and I am the cat's meow_

_It's funny how she recalls what I can't remember now _

_But when her smile came back and I didn't feel half as horrible_

_She gave me a heart attack just because she looked so adorable_

_We both put our sunblock on, played on the beach and vowed that we'd live and we'd learn_

Rachel Berry was very happy that a new year was coming. She was just that much closer to Broadway, and fame. Tonight she would also be going to her first high school party, hosted by the dynamic duo of Kurt and Mercedes. She knew that it wasn't really that much to be invited, since she was a member of glee. However, she took this a sign that the pair harbored feelings of peace.

She spent several hours looking at her clothes. All she really had were school clothes. She knew that her more casual things were at the back of her closest, thanks to their lack of use over the past few years. She pulled all of her more relaxed clothes and tried to narrow it down. She eventually settled on jeans and a lovely pair of boots.

She spun in front of the mirror trying to decide who she was trying to impress by going to this party. She sighed to her reflection, making herself once again come to terms with the fact that no one had any desire what so ever for her. Quinn had managed to ensnare half of McKinley High's male population. Even Mike had a crush on her for crying out loud.

Rachel Berry told herself that she didn't care about Finn, or Quinn, or Noah Puckerman. Someday they wouldn't matter at all to her. She would be living the dream, while they would all be stuck in Lima, wishing they had been better to her. That's what she told herself, but she didn't believe a single word of it.

She quickly threw on her raincoat, trying to ignore the agony tearing at her chest. She kissed her fathers goodbye, and walked quickly to her car. The rain was picking up quite steadily, and seemed to just keep raining on her parade. She started the engine and slowly backed out of her garage. She lived completely across town from Mercedes. She had a lovely ten minute drive ahead of her.

Before she could reach her desired destination, there was a pop, and skidding. She didn't panic, it was just a popped tire. She tried not to cry at her terrible luck. She hopped out into the pouring rain and looked at the damage. Sighing, she reached for her phone, she quickly dialed her fathers, and got no answer.

So it seemed that it was Rachel Berry's lucky day.

Noah Puckerman, often referred to as "Puck," sat in his truck in front of his mother's house, thinking about leaving. It wasn't that he was afraid, he was a badass after all, and he tried to tell himself that he was just worried about being seen at such an uncool location.

Noah gritted his teeth, and wheezed his ancient truck to life. It had been a present for his sixteenth birthday from his grandfather. Shortly after, he had passed away. Though Puck could buy a new car anytime he wanted, this truck was all he had left of his grandpa, and he couldn't let it go.

Though his father had walked out on Noah's family, the Puckerman side of the grandparents always treated Puck like a son. They loved him, and helped his mother with babysitting, and paying as many bills as they could.

Noah hated New Year. His father had left on New Year ten years ago, and Noah didn't really feel that it was such a great freaking holiday. It was just another excuse to make promises that you didn't feel bad about breaking. Noah supposed that's all he was to his deadbeat dad, a broken promise.

He turned onto Kent Street to be greeted with a rather amusing sight. Rachel Berry was standing in the rain, trying to fix her tire. He felt bad for her, all small and soaked to the bone. He quickly pulled off and walked up to her, to where she wasn't paying attention.

He took in her appearance, she was wearing jeans instead of those ridiculous skirts. Her fur boots were probably ruined. She was wearing a thin purple sweater. She looked really nice, like she was a real and normal girl. Puck felt his chest tighten.

"Hey Berry, come here often?" She jumped about three feet and turned to see Noah. Her face soured and she turned back to her task.

"Jesus Christ, just leave it Berry. I'll fix it tomorrow." He said. Without letting her protest he pulled her up and carried her to his truck.

"This is very degrading, Noah. I would appreciate it if you put me down." She stated fidgeting.

Noah quickly placed the small, dripping girl in his truck seat. He slid her over and removed his damp jacket. He pulled one of his spare blankets that he usually reserved for his sister when she fell asleep in the morning on the way to school, and placed it around Rachel's shoulders.

"While I appreciate your act of chivalry, I can just call my fathers-" Rachel began to speak, not really trusting herself around Noah.

"Shut up, Berry. We're on our way to Aretha's. Just be quiet and enjoy looking at a stud like me." He said, turning into Mercedes' drive. He saw Finn's car and cursed under his breath. He opened the door and allowed Rachel to follow him out.

She walked behind Noah, her heart pounding in her ears. She couldn't breathe properly. She could smell that familiar Noah smell comprised of cinnamon, smoke, and Old Spice. Her heart was fluttering as he opened the door without knocking.

"That was rude, Noah." She chastised.

"What did I tell you about talking, Berry?" He said, but not unkindly. He smirked down to her as they walked into the large home. Puck pointedly looked away from where Finn stood, grilling with Tina. He noticed Kurt ascending the stairs. It was pretty quiet on the whole. He turned from Rachel and walked to the kitchen.

Rachel watched him go, and decided not to follow him. Instead she walked to find the nearest bathroom, hoping to find a towel to dry off with. She took in her look in the bathroom mirror. She looked like a drowned rat, so much for impressing anyone.

Noah was walking around aimlessly, and then he stumbled past Rachel Berry, looking out of place in the bright yellow bathroom. She was toweling off her hair, and he leaned against the door just watching her in the large bathroom. She was talking to herself.

"Get it together, Rachel. You look horrible, there's no way anyone cares anyway. Just put on a smile and walk out." She muttered to herself, jerking a brush she had found on the sink through her wet hair. She looked close to tears, and that really bothered him for some reason.

"Berry, cheer up, it's a freaking party." He said gently, and she snapped her head towards him.

"Noah, I would like to thank you from rescuing me from my unfortunate predicament." She said quickly. She couldn't think straight when he was in the room.

"Yeah, yeah. I just wanted to make sure you were alright." He said softly, and then turned to walk by to a living room, leaving Rachel to her very confused thoughts.

Two hours and several minutes later Rachel was sitting in the large bathroom again, thinking while she looked at herself in the mirror. She really had no idea what to think anymore.

Noah was drinking a little, not near enough to be numb, but he blamed Quinn for that. She was sitting with Artie, and for some reason that comforted him. She wouldn't ever let anyone in to take care of her, especially not Puck. It comforted him because she was finally trusting someone enough to talk to them. Artie really was a great guy, he wouldn't lie to her, or treat her bad.

He turned the corner and walked to the same bathroom as Tina yelled that it was eleven fifty. He found Rachel in the exact spot that he had before. Her head in her hands, singing to herself. He couldn't stand that sad expression on her face.

"Berry, do you just enjoy staying in bathrooms all night?" He asked, and she looked at him, her mouth slightly open.

"I've just been thinking." She said softly, looking around the open room.

"If it's upsetting you this much, just stop." He said firmly, walking into the bright, cheery room.

"Five minutes to midnight!" Chang yelled out, and some people cheered, and he could hear glasses clang together. He rolled his eyes and sat next to her on the edge of the huge bathtub in the corner of the room.

"I hate New Years. It reminds me of my deadbeat dad." He said quietly, not really sure why he was telling her this. Trying to help her understand she shouldn't feel bad anymore.

"I'm sorry, Noah. I think you're a good guy, dad or not." She said softly, rubbing his arm. They sat in silence for a few moments. His arm was tingling from where her tiny hand rested on top of it.

"_Ten..._ "

"Berry?" Noah asked.

"_Nine..._ "

"My name is Rachel, Noah." Rachel stated.

"_Eight..._ "

"Fine, Rachel?" He conceded.

"_Seven.._ ."

"Yes, Noah?" She answered, sweetly.

"_Six..._ "

"I wish you'd smile." He said gently.

"_Five..._ "

"Why?" She asked softly.

"_Four..."_

"Because you look pretty." He said huskily.

"_Three..._ "

"Why don't you make me?" She challenged.

"_Two..._ "

"Fine." He accepted.

"_One..._ "

As everyone in the rest of the house cheered and danced around, Noah Puckerman found his mouth connected to Rachel Berry's.

When they parted Rachel smiled at him, and Noah thought it was probably the most adorable thing he had ever seen. He smiled right back at her, and it was like everything was perfectly fine for that moment in time.

"Hey Berry?" He asked, and she rolled her eyes at the use of her surname.

"Yes, Noah?"

"I think I might start liking New Years now." She grinned and pulled him back down to her lips.

**The End**


End file.
